Harbeth C7ES-3: 6 Years On, Still Impresses Daily.

I bought my Cherry finished Harbeth Compact 7ES3 6 years ago for $3500 and they still provide daily enjoyment.

Want to get off the audiophile Merry Go Round?

Want to enjoy music and stop fidgeting and obsessing?

Buy a pair...probably your last speaker.

 

that a pair of Harbeths of any kind or just the C7?

Never been happier than with the 30.1's.
if i get another pair of speakers it'll be the 40'1s or a pair in addition to and not a replacement of the Harbeths to add variety.

 

I agree, have the 7es3 Cherry 30th Aniv and they are amazing, when set right the speakers disappear....listen to them every day.....excellent with rock but they really excel with jazz and vocals...

 

Although I have heard every Harbeth model, I have only owned the C7.

The 30.1 is truly amazing. But of course at a $2500 premium.

 

I'm also very happy with these speakers. They're great for all types of music;
but put on some well recorded acoustic music like David Grisman's "Tone Poems" series of albums,
turn up the volume, and you can enjoy a sense of realism that's quite pleasing.

 

They really do disappear. They may be Anti Audiophile speakers...since you won't be fidgeting worrying about what you can tweak...no futzing around and no tight assed non sense....just tunes.

 

Realism.....bingo.

 

Yes, the C7ES-3 will give you (nearly) the same immediacy you would feel when listening to those vintage guitars and mandolins in person.

 

Anyone ever play them with a tube integrated ? I have only heard them with my SS Push Pull 100W Luxman L505u (using now) and a L590AX (30W Class Luxman) that a friend has which was sublime...

 

Used them with a bunch of tube amps...Manley, ARC, Rogue...excellent.

 

The L505u luxman is great with drive and clarity but losing that holographic warm that you can get with tubes (good even harmonic distortion BUT the 30W Class A Luxman had a certain tubeiness sound to the midrange but with a quick and punchy solid state bottom end. Best of both worlds.....my friend needs to sell me his L590AX I know they would mate very well ....wife on the other hand would not be so happy...

 

...or,you could steal it....

 

I've told him to get rid of that crappy L590AX and get an Accuphase

 

Heheh...McIntosh SS does very well too btw.

 

This is the speaker I have on my wish list. I was thinking about pairing them with a Musical Fidelity M6S1....which is also on my wish list.

Any thoughts how these would work together?

 

How well do these do placed up high and against a wall, in other words not on stands like a dedicated listening room? More of a bookshelf configuration.

 

You would have power to spare. The M6si s a beast. I think it's a good match...but you would need to hear it.

 

They would be diminished. Stands are the best way to go. These are not bookshelf speakers.

 

I feel the same way about the Rega RS3. Nothing to fuss with.

 

Entry level Audio Note is a good choice....I understand they are designed to be up-against the wall or in corners.

 

Less is more.

 

I just (in the last month or so) switched to the 30.1s and am very pleased.

This is the first speaker that I have in my living room that impressed by just sounding like music.

My wife, who doesn't go in for audiophile lingo, said that it was the first speaker that she had heard that made her want to spend money upgrading.

Everything sounds great, too, I really don't understand how they do what they do and I don't even care to think about it any more than wondering if more room treatments will help more

 

And this is my feeling so far.

When my kids are old enough to give me back my big room that I had planned for a man cave I'll think about those 40.1 (or whatever is the equivalent at that time) - they are physically too big for my living room to fit, visually, into what we have going on.

 

No they're not. Trust me.